The Record: Bergen and Birdsall

GIVEN THAT the Birdsall Services Group no longer exists, there may not have been any real reason for the Bergen County freeholders this week to officially sever ties with the disgraced company.

In doing so Wednesday night, the freeholders made a largely symbolic statement that companies that flout the law are not welcome to do business with the Bergen County government. They did so by formally rescinding four contracts the county had with Birdsall.

As symbolism goes, that was good. But we wish the board were more consistent when it comes to reality. This is the same governing body that earlier this year weakened a pay-to-play ordinance by increasing the amount donors seeking jobs and contracts could contribute to county political organizations.

It was pay-to-play that caused Birdsall's downfall. Until a few months ago, the Monmouth County-based engineering firm had millions of dollars in public contracts throughout New Jersey. But as we have now learned, this was a business that was based on illegal activity.

The company pleaded guilty last month to securing contracts by making illegal campaign contributions, some of which went to politicians in Bergen County. Donations of $300 or more must be reported on a candidate's campaign disclosure form. Birdsall got around that by having its employees write checks for less than $300 and then reimbursed them. The scheme concealed from the public the magnitude of Birdsall's contributions.

Another problem was that by arranging for individual donations, Birdsall was able to evade pay-to-play requirements that normally would have denied contracts to companies contributing above a certain level.

After its guilty plea, Birdsall's assets were sold to a California firm with a New Jersey affiliate, Maser Consulting, which will now take over two of the county contracts previously held by Birdsall.

The freeholders are now free of Birdsall, but, unfortunately, their commitment to ending pay-to-play remains dubious. While voting to get rid of Birdsall was largely symbolic, reinstituting the county's original pay-to-play regulations would be a very real statement in favor of keeping county government free of political influence. That's what the freeholders should do now.